Type of Intervention: Regulation
Sectors Involved: Education, Finance/Economy, Health
Intervention Categories: Legal and policy; Regulatory change; New initiatives
Level of Jurisdiction: Ontario
Lead People/Agency: Premier of Ontario, Minister of Education
Overview: The Ontario government approved a new emergency order which enables available school board employees to be redeployed (voluntarily) to congregate care settings during COVID-19. This includes hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes, and women’s shelters. As school boards develop and implement staff redeployment plans, staff would support many of these settings that require extra staff, e.g. for custodial and maintenance duties. School board employees would maintain an employment relationship with the school board, and continue to receive their compensation and other employment benefits. They would also be eligible for Ontario’s pandemic pay and emergency child care services.
Full details here: https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/05/ontario-enables-school-board-employees-to-be-voluntarily-redeployed-to-congregate-care-settings.html
Type of Justification: Providing support
Evidence/Justification: This emergency order enables educational workers to voluntarily go where they are most needed and able to provide additional support to a sector that is facing staffing challenges (congregate care settings). The government justified this as a measure that will continue to serve to protect Ontario’s vulnerable people.